English Reference

Word

writer

Phoneticswrit·er, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈɹaɪtɝ/

UK/ɹˈaɪtɐ/

Definitions

01an author

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a person who writes books, stories, articles, or other literary works.

n. a person who produces written work, especially as an occupation or for publication.

“She is a famous writer who has published three novels about history.”

“The writer spent several months conducting archival research before drafting the first chapter of her biography on the former prime minister.”

Antonyms

02graffiti artist

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Slang

n. a person who creates graffiti, especially someone who paints their name or art in public places.

n. a practitioner of graffiti art, particularly one who focuses on stylized lettering or 'tags'.

“The local writer painted a colorful mural on the old brick wall.”

“The city's underground scene is dominated by a few prolific writers whose distinctive styles are recognizable across several districts.”

Synonyms

graffiti artisttagger

03finance

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Technical · Formal

n. a person or company that sells an option or an insurance policy.

n. the seller of an option contract or the underwriter of an insurance policy.

“As the writer of the option, he receives a fee from the buyer.”

“The writer of a call option is obligated to sell the underlying asset at the strike price if the holder chooses to exercise the contract.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

04legal practitioner

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law British English · Dialect · Archaic

n. a name used in Scotland for a lawyer or legal professional.

n. a term historically used in Scotland for a solicitor or legal practitioner in smaller towns.

“The family consulted a local writer to help them with the property documents.”

“In nineteenth-century Scottish literature, the local writer often served as the primary arbiter of legal and administrative disputes within the village.”

Synonyms

Etymology

From Middle English writer, writere, from Old English wrītere (“draughtsman; painter; writer; scribe; copyist”) and ġewritere (“writer; composer”), equivalent to write + -er and writ + -er. Cognate with Icelandic ritari (“clerk, secretary”), Faroese ritari (“clerk, secretary”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Related words

Idioms

Domain

Finance

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

QR code

englishreference.com/q/writer

English Reference